It’s January 1st! You know what that means? Time to officially pack up the holidays. Yes, I know the holidays were fun, but if we don’t start packing up now with our last day left off work, we might put it off for a few more weeks.
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Tip #1: Declutter Your Bins
Before you even take down the decorations, take a look at your containers. Are they completely empty? If not, go ahead and edit those items that you didn’t use this year. There are four common reasons why people don’t use décor from year to year:
- It’s part of a theme and that theme wasn’t employed this go around. If you have items in your containers that fall into this category, then buy additional bins. Keep your themes separate so that you know exactly what you have and what you still need to purchase the next time you plan to use that theme.
- It’s not your style. Maybe it used to be your style, or maybe it was a gift from someone that you feel guilty tossing. Either way, if it’s yester-you or never-you, then it needs to NOT be in the container any more. Donate the items that still have life left in them.
- It’s broken. That strand of lights you’re saving….you have my permission to just let that go. If your containers have broken holiday décor that you intended to repair but haven’t up to this point, acknowledge the fact that your life is filled with more important and joyful things than repair work, and that it’s okay to let those broken things go. Consider calling a “scapper” to pick up any items containing metal like artificial Christmas trees or those old lights.
- You didn’t have time. You have to ask yourself a hard question when your leftovers fit in this category: are the items too time consuming EVERY year or was this year just different? If this year was different because of scheduling conflicts or unavoidable drama, hold on to those items for one more season. However, if the items include ornate decorations that require lots of ladder time that you can’t pull off anymore because you’ve got three kids at your ankles….well, then I think you know the answer. Let it go.
Tip #2: Use the Right Containers
The biggest mistake I see year after year is clients purchasing the LARGEST container possible to corral their holiday items. Clients fall prey to this trap because they think they’re winning by only needing ONE container. The problem they never see coming is how cumbersome a 150qt tub is to lug around the house, into the attic, out to the shed, or down into the basement.
It is better to use smaller bins that can easily be carried by one person. I’m a huge fan of bins less than 60 quarts. Wreaths should be kept in special containers to preserve their shape. Ornaments break less often in containers like these. To save time next winter, pack your polished silver in silver bags. Wrapping your lights around something like this or a sheet of thick cardboard will save you lots of time too. No one likes untangling lights! I’m also a HUGE fan of tree bags if you’ve got an artificial, pre-lit that you want to keep in good shape for years to come.
It is better to use smaller bins that can easily be carried by one person. I’m a huge fan of bins less than 60 quarts. Wreaths should be kept in special containers to preserve their shape. Ornaments break less often in containers like these. To save time next winter, pack your polished silver in silver bags. Wrapping your lights around something like this or a sheet of thick cardboard will save you lots of time too. No one likes untangling lights! I’m also a HUGE fan of tree bags if you’ve got an artificial, pre-lit that you want to keep in good shape for years to come.
Tip #3: Repack By Zone
Most people use the same decorations in the same areas of their homes each year. The tree goes in the front living room along with the swag over the fireplace. The menorah goes on the dining room buffet. The colored lights always go on that tree in the front yard. You get the idea. As you repack your decorations, pack all the things that typically go in that zone or area TOGETHER. This will save you time unpacking and decorating next winter. It will also help you remember which items broke this year and what you’ll need to replace.
Tip #4: Edit As You Go
As you pull down the decorations from each space, take a moment to evaluate their appearance. Was this their last year? Can that wreath make it one more year? Do not pack up ANYTHING you do not plan to use next winter. Endeavor to help yourself be more productive in eleven months by making those hard decisions now. Make lists of what will need replacing and place those lists in your Sunday Basket to look for in after-holiday clearance sections OR store the list at the top of each container so you’ll see it as soon as you begin unpacking next winter.
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